The Labyrinth of the Faun

And yet another good day. If this keeps up I might start thinking that 2006 hasn't been so bad after all.

I spent most of the day with the extended clan, chatting and laughing, and perusing my Amazonian arrivals - notably the complete Bone, which is even better than I remember the individual issues being. Off then into town to meet Renate and Birgitta at the Christmas Market, there to improbably cast an old friend as a dragon puppet -- don't ask! -- and to wander, calling a couple of friends and in the end deciding against going to the Choir and Orchestral Society's concert in the Anglican Cathedral in favour of meeting up with Laura and David to see Pan's Labyrinth.

If you haven't seen it, go. Trust me. It's fantastic, in the strictest sense of the world, but without a twee note - it's a rich, dark, frightening, violent, tender, layered, complex, real piece of work.

It's also got a lot of shoe-shining in it, but that probably won't appeal to everyone. Strolling in search of food afterwards Laura remarked to David, her naval cousin, that my boots were very shiny. Looking down, he exclaimed that indeed they were, and then lamented 'Outshone by a civilian. The shame...'

We wound up eating in the Mongolian Barbecue. Not the plan, but fun for all that. And then a race for the station, to try to get that 11:20 train...